Oil field board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

An oil field game which includes a playing board having markings thereon whereby it is divided into surface areas including corner areas and elongated areas extending between the corner areas, the board being hollow and having internal partitions whereby it is divided into compartments corresponding substantially to the surface areas, the elongated compartments having a number of movable blocks loosely and slidably disposed therein and portions of the top of the board coinciding with the elongated areas having numerous small holes therein for selective engagement by playing pieces simulating drilling rigs and having depending pins for selective insertion, in the manner of probes, in the small holes to determine the location of producing wells and dry holes, depending on whether the pin strikes one of the movable blocks. The spaces along the several sides of the board corresponding to the elongated areas are subdivided into individual subdivisions or sections and the corner areas, with the individual subdivisions or sections, form a continuous path along the peripheral edge of the board on which individual player markers are caused to move stepwise, one space at a time, in response to rolling of dice.

[ 1 Apr. 24, 1973 [57] ABSTRACT An oil field game which includes a playing board having markings thereon whereby it is divided into surface areas including corner areas and elongated areas extending between the comer areas, the board being hollow and having internal partitions whereby it is divided into compartmentscorresponding substantially to the surface areas, the elongated compartments having a number of movable blocks loosely and slidably disposed therein and portions of the top of the board coinciding with the elongated areas having numerous small holes therein for selective engagement by playing pieces simulating drilling rigs and having depending pins for selective insertion, in the manner of probes, in the small holes to determine the location of producing wells and dry holes, depending on whether the pin strikes one of the movable blocks. The spaces along the several sides of the board corresponding to the elongated areas are subdivided into individual sub- OIL FIELD BOARD GAME APPARATUS Inventor: Donald H. Shaffer, Fort Worth, Tex.

Assignees; William J. Darby; John L. Abbott,

both of Fort Worth, Tex.; a part interest to each Filed: May 3, 1971 Appl. No.: 139,500

US. Cl......273/134 AC, 273/130 D, 273/134 B, 273/134 C, 273/134 GM, 273/139 Int. 3/00 Field of Search......................273/l30, 134, 135, 273/139, 93

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS United States Patent Shaffer Patented April 24, 1973 3,729,198

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 20 & 3/ 23 INVENTOR.

OIL FIELD BOARD GAME APPARATUS This invention relates to an oil field game, and it concerns more particularly a game involving elements of chance and skill as hereinafter described.

The oil field game of the invention is similar in some respects to the well known game of MONOPOLY, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,026,082, Dec. 31, 1935. It includes a plurality of individual player markers, of different colors, which are movable clockwise, by stages, around a playing board as hereinafter described in response to roll of a pair of dice cubes.

The game also includes features which are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,299,803, Oct. 27, 1942. The last mentioned patent shows an oil field game which includes a hollow playing board in which a plurality of blocks of different shapes, and having a thickness approaching the corresponding dimension of the board, which represent oil pools beneath the surface, are loosely and slidably disposed within the board for abutting engagement by playing pieces simulating oil derricks which have pins depending therfrom which are selectively inserted, in the manner of probes, in one or another of a series of small holes which are provided therefor in the top side of the board, which simulates an oil field.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a playing board for use in the oil field game of the invention, showing the top panel of the board and the designs and markings thereon;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing the playing pieces which are used with the board and illustrating the manner in which they are used;

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2, showing the board with the top panel removed and showing the internal partitions whereby the inside of the board is divided into compartments, and the movable blocks therein;

FIG. 4 shows a sample of the play money;

FIG. 5 shows one of the MAIL CALL cards; and

FIG. 6 shows a pair of dice cubes which are used in playing the game.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 20 designates generally a playing board for use in the oil field game of the invention. The board 20 is hollow, and has a top panel 21, shown in FIG. 1, and a bottom panel 22 and side rails 23 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The interior of the board 20 is divided by internal partitions 24 into individual compartments which coincide, respectively, with corresponding areas of the top panel 21 as represented by the designs and markings thereon.

The individual compartments of the board 20, above mentioned, include four substantially square compartments 30 which comprise corner portions of the board, four narrow compartments 31 which extend between the corner compartments 30, immediately adjacent the side edges of the board, and comprise marginal portions thereof, four other elongated compartments 32 which extend between the corner compartments 30, immediately adjacent the marginal compartments 31, and define between them a comparatively large central area, relative to the dimensions of the board, and two other compartments 33, one of which is larger than the other, which comprise opposite side portions of the central area.

A comparatively large number of movable discs and rectangular blocks 41, which are characterized by their small size, relative to the size of the board 20, and which are of uniform height approaching the corresponding dimension of the board, are loosely and slidably disposed in each of the elongated compartments 32 and in the larger of the central compartments 33, and coincide with possible drilling sites as represented by the markings on the top panel 21, as hereinafter described.

The top panel 21 has markings corresponding to the internal partitions 24 whereby it is divided into individual areas which coincide, respectively, with the individual compartments above described.

The individual areas of the top panel 21, above mentioned, include four comer areas corresponding to the corner compartments 30, four marginal areas 51 corresponding to the marginal compartments 31, four elongated areas 52 corresponding to the elongated compartments 32, and a central area 53, a portion of which corresponds substantially to the larger of the central compartments 33.

Portions of the four elongated areas 52, which correspond to the elongated compartments 32, and a portion of the central area 53 which corresponds substantially to the larger of the central compartments 33, are possible drilling sites, and have numerous small holes 60 therein for use as hereinafter described.

The marginal areas 51 and the corresponding elongated areas 52 which extend along the respective sides of the board 20, between the corner areas 50, represent proven oil fields and are designated by appropriate names such as SPINDLETOP OIL FIELD, ALASKA NORTH SLOPE, SPRABERRY TREND AREA, and

' EAST TEXAS OIL FIELD. The central area 53 is designated as WILDCAT, and a portion of the central area which corresponds substantially to the larger of the central compartments 33 is designated as WILD- CAT LAKE.

The small holes are provided in portions of the top panel 21 which correspond to parts of the elongated areas 52, and in the portion of the central area 53 which is designated as WILDCAT LAKE, for use with playing pieces as hereinafter described, including drilling rigs 61, which as shown in FIG. 2 have a depending pin 62, which is adjustable vertically, for selective engagement with the holes 60, in the manner of probes, to determine the location of producing wells and dry holes, depending on whether the depending pins 62 strike one of the movable discs 40 or rectangular blocks 41.

The numerals 63 and 64 indicate plugs representing producing wells and dry holes, shown in FIG. 2, which have depending pin portions corresponding to the depending pins 62 of the drilling rigs 61, and which in use are substituted for the drilling rigs 61, upon completion of a well, depending on whether it is a success or a failure, as above described.

The proven oil fields above described, each of which comprises one of the marginal areas 51 and the adjacent elongated area 52, are subdivided into smaller spaces or sections, some but not all of which may be available for lease, which are indicated generally by the numeral 70.

As shown in FIG. 1, a row of small holes 60, one of them opposite each of selected subdivisions or sections 70, are provided in the top panel 21, along the inside edges of the elongated areas 52, for use with lease ownership indicators 71, shown in FIG. 2, each having a depending pin for selective engagement with one or another of the holes.

The subdivisions or sections 70 between the corner areas 50 on each side of the board include one or more sections 72 which are imperforate and are not available for lease, which are marked MAIL CALL, and which are significant as hereinafter described.

As shown, the corner areas 50 are designated by the fanciful names HOME OFFICE, COUNTRY CLUB, DRILL IN WILDCAT LAKE, and GUEST RANCH, each of which may be of special significance as determined by the rules of the game, which may vary as desired.

The individual spaces which are arranged about the peripheral edge of the board 20, and which comprise the corner areas 50 and the subdivisions or sections 70 between them, including the MAIL CALL spaces 72, define a path along which individual player markers 73, shown in FIG. 2, are advanced stepwise, one space at a time, in response to roll of a pair of dice cubes 74, shown in FIG. 6.

The numeral 80 refers to an assortment of MAIL CALL cards, one of which is shown in FIG. 5, which have instructions thereon to be followed by individual players as their markers 73 stop at a MAIL CALL space 72 and they are required to take one of the cards.

A supply of play money 81, a sample of which is shown in FIG. 4, is furnished each player at the beginning of the game.

The invention may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

' lclaim:

1. In an oil field game, a substantially square, hollow playing board having top and bottom panels and side rails, and having internal partitions whereby the interior of the board is divided into individual compartments including four substantially square comer compartments and four elongated compartments extending between the corner compartments along the sides of the board, each of the elongated compartments containing numerous movable blocks, comparatively small relative to the size of the board and having a height appreaching the corresponding dimension thereof, loosely and slidably disposed therein, the top panel having markings thereon whereby it is divided into areas corresponding substantially to the compartments, including corner areas corresponding to the corner compartments and elongated areas coinciding with the elongated compartments, the portions of the top. panel comprising the elongated areas having numerous small holes therein, and one or more playing pieces representing drilling rigs each having a depending pin for selective engagement with one or another of the small holes, in the manner of probes, to determine the to their lengths and comprise marginal portions of the board, immediately adjacent its side edges, portions of the top panel comprising the elongated area and the adjacent marginal area along each side of the board having markings thereon whereby they are subdivided into smaller spaces or sections, and one or more playing pieces for designating the ownership of individual sections, each having a depending pin for selective engagement with holes therefor in portionsof the top panel corresponding to the respective sections. 

1. In an oil field game, a substantially square, hollow playing board having top and bottom panels and side rails, and having internal partitions whereby the interior of the board is divided into individual compartments including four substantially square corner compartments and four elongated compartments extending between the corner compartments along the sides of the board, each of the elongated compartments containing numerous movable blocks, comparatively small relative to the size of the board and having a height approaching the corresponding dimension thereof, loosely and slidably disposed therein, the top panel having markings thereon whereby it is divided into areas corresponding substantially to the compartments, including corner areas corresponding to the corner compartments and elongated areas coinciding with the elongated compartments, the portions of the top panel comprising the elongated areas having numerous small holes therein, and one or more playing pieces representing drilling rigs each having a depending pin for selective engagement with one or another of the small holes, in the manner of probes, to determine the location of producing wells and dry holes, depending on whether the pin strikes one of the movable blocks, the elongated compartments and the corresponding surface areas of the board being spaced inwardly from the corresponding side edges thereof, and the board having four other compartments, and corresponding surface areas, which are comparatively narrow relative to their lengths and comprise marginal portions of the board, immediately adjacent its side edges, portions of the top panel comprising the elongated area and the adjacent marginal area along each side of the board having markings thereon whereby they are subdivided into smaller spaces or sections, and one or more playing pieces for designating the owneRship of individual sections, each having a depending pin for selective engagement with holes therefor in portions of the top panel corresponding to the respective sections. 